their acquaintance with the Vedas.  He that doth not observe vows, he that hath not his soul under control, he that is impure, he that is a thief, and he that is of crooked mind, doth not, O Kauravya, bathe in tirthas.  Thou art ever observant of virtue, and art of pure character.  By thy virtue, O virtuous one, thou hast always gratified thy father and thy grand-father, and great-grand-fathers, and the gods with Brahma at their head, and the Rishis also, O thou versed in virtue!  Thou who resemblest Vasava, thou wilt, O Bhishma, attain to the region of the Vasus, and also eternal fame on earth!"’

“Narada continued, ’Having cheerfully spoken thus, the illustrious Rishi Pulastya, well-pleased, bidding Bhishma farewell, disappeared there and then.  And Bhishma also, O tiger among men, well understanding the true import of the Shastras, wandered over the world at the command of Pulastya.  Thus, O thou blessed one, did Bhishma end at Prayaga his highly meritorious journey to the tirthas capable of destroying all sins.  The man that ranges the earth in accordance with these injunctions, obtains the highest fruit of a hundred horse-sacrifices and earns salvation hereafter.  Thou wilt, O son of Pritha, obtain merit consisting of the eight attributes, even like that which Bhishma, the foremost of the Kurus, had obtained of yore.  And as thou wilt lead these ascetics to those tirthas, thy merit will be much greater.  Those tirthas are infested by Rakshasas, and no one, save thyself, O son of Kuru race, can go there.  Rising early he that reciteth this narrative by the celestial Rishis on the subject of the tirthas, becometh free from all sins.  Those foremost of Rishis, Valmiki, and Kasyapa, and Atreya, and Kundajathara, and Viswamitra, and Gautama, and Asita, and Devala, and Markandeya, and Galava, and Bharadwaja, and Vasishtha, and the Muni Uddalaka, and Saunaka with his son, and Vyasa, that best of ascetics, and Durvasas, that foremost of Munis, and Javali of great austerities—­all these illustrious Rishis endued with wealth of asceticism, are staying in expectation of thee.  With these, O mighty king, do thou meet by visiting these tirthas.  And, O illustrious monarch, a great Rishi of immeasurable energy, Lomasa by name, will come to thee.  Do thou follow him, and me, and by turns visit these tirthas, O thou virtuous one!  By this, thou wilt acquire great fame, like king Mahabhisha!  O tiger among kings, even as the virtuous Yayati and king Pururavas, dost thou blaze forth with thy own virtue.  Like king Bhagiratha and the illustrious Rama, dost thou shine among kings even as the Sun himself.  And thou art, O great king, celebrated (in the world) even as Muni or Ikshwaku, or the highly famous Puru or Vainya!  And as in days of yore the slayer of Vritra, after burning all his foes, ruled the three worlds, his mind freed from anxiety, so wilt thou rule thy subjects, after slaying all thy enemies.  And, O thou of eyes like lotus leaves, having conquered the earth according to the customs of thy order, thou wilt obtain renown by thy virtue, even like Kartaviryaryuna.’”